Sometimes the more space you have, the harder it is to keep things organized. That’s why a compact refrigerator makes sense in certain situations – a small kitchen, a second refrigerator in the basement, a family that spends more time eating out than in. Think of it as an apartment-sized refrigerator with full-size potential. The biggest challenge you might face with a compact fridge is how to fit everything into it. No worries, though. There are four easy DIY home hacks to keep the fridge clean, well-stocked, and ensure maximum air circulation.
kitchen hack #1: adjust the shelves
Start with the door. iio retro fridge shelves are 100% adjustable and will make all the difference when you need to figure out how to store tall water bottles, short condiment jars, and bricks of butter. I have occasionally forgotten I had particular products because I inadvertently hid them behind larger items.
So, here’s a DIY tip: Think about organizing by use or cuisine. If you frequently make Asian-inspired fare, put all the products you need for that onto one shelf. Remember that the door is the warmest part of the fridge. So, use those shelves to hold preserved items that have long expiry dates.
Condiments can leak onto the shelves causing an unsightly mess that is a pain to clean. Place half of a cardboard egg carton on the bottom of the shelf that holds the condiments. The carton will catch the drips, and it can be recycled when it becomes too messy.
Finish up by re-organizing the shelves inside your compact fridge to accommodate bowls of fruit, milk containers, and anything else you normally store there.
kitchen hack #2: handy wine rack
Keeping a bottle of white or rosé at the ready is always a good idea. In a typical fridge, wine bottles are stored on a door shelf. Other than the fact that it’s taking up valuable space, wine should technically lay on its side to ensure that the cork remains wet. A dry cork can begin to disintegrate, which introduces bacteria that can ruin the wine.
Some iio refrigerators come with adjustable wine racks, so, you can easily organize other items around them.
kitchen hack #3: roll-out freezer drawers
This kitchen hack is a game-changer. You’ll never forget about food stored way in the back! Make the most of that fully visible freezer by placing food into freezer bags. I love doing this in my Red Retro Mod iio fridge. The trick is to make sure you don’t overfill the bags. You want them to lay as flat as possible so they can be stacked. This is a classic chef’s tip that maximizes freezer space while ensuring quick and easy access to everything.
Do you love organizing stuff? Try this fridge organization hack: divide up the freezer area according to use. Assign one area to dinner items, like leftovers, chicken breasts, or bags of frozen vegetables. Another area could be dedicated to lunch items, like insulated lunch bags, cold packs, ready-to-go lunch meals. Or store items that are typically used together in one area, like ingredients for smoothies. Once it’s organized, you’ll find that even a compact freezer can hold a lot.
Given how often I’ve placed items into the freezer then forgotten what they were, I can’t stress this enough: label everything! Think about the types of storage containers you use, too. Plastic containers can be useful. But they can also leave a lot of unusable space around them. Instead, take fridge organization tips from professional chefs. Place Plus another tip I’ve been using for years is to keep a freezer inventory on the fridge. Pulling together a quick meal is easy once you know what you have at the ready.
kitchen hack #4: left or right hinge
Fitting a compact refrigerator into a small kitchen space is as important as fitting all the necessary items inside it. Size won’t matter if it’s in a place that makes it difficult to access.
When you’re choosing a refrigerator, start by visualizing it in the room. Picture yourself opening the door and sliding out the freezer drawer. Is there enough room for the door to fully open? The fridge door shouldn’t block the counter or table. You should also be able to easily reach in and grab items.
If the direction that the door opens makes using the fridge inconvenient, you’ll need to specify the left or right hinge when you place your order. Two of iio’s fridges, The Retro and Retro Mod RR1 (CRBR-2412) and RM1 (ALBR1372-11) come with left or right hinge flexibility, so shop carefully and choose the best option for your needs.
Contact us today for more help! You can even sign up to get regular news from iio on this page.
